Breathing apparatus



Dec. 14 1926.

v A.B.-DRAGER BREATHING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1921 l hZM/u Fatented Dec. re, 1926.

innat- OF LUBECK, GERMANY.

BREATHING- APFPARATU S.

Application filed June 9, 1921, Serial No. 476.232, and in Germany July 19, 1919.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISI The invention relates breathing breathing breathing apparatus the supply gas supply to a self-contained apparatus in which additional proportionate to the work done by is automatically of breathing gas (oxygen and the the wearer of the provided, so that like) is at all times sufiicient for the real breathing needs of the lungs.

The novel feature of sists in providing an auxiliary the invention conor supple mental breathing bag which is interposed between the breathing gas container or oxygen cylinder and the ordinary breathing bag in such a manner that the interior of the auxiliary bag is constantly in full communication with the the auxiliary breathing main breathing bag, bag being adapted by its movements to operate the controlling mechanism of a stop valve in the oxygen supply pipe, in a manner to provide for the delivery of an additional amount or oxygen into the apparatus, when required.

When as a result or" a laclr or air the main breathing bag is collapsed, for instance, because ot a deep inhalation and consequently said bag falls slightly below atmospheric pressure, the auxiliary bag undergoes a proportionate collapse which causes the oxygen stop valve to open for the adnnssion of additional oxygen 1nto the auxiliary bag or CLICHlELtOYY system of the apparatus. main bag has been After the pressure in restored to its initial the condition, the auxiliary bag is initiated again, whereby the oxygen admiss on valve is caused to close.

JV 1th the above obyect tron more particularly s in view my invenconsists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims with reference to the drawings in which Fi 'ure 1 shows a dia rammatic view of 1 a a seltcontamed breathing apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention 1 Flgure 2 shows on a and embodying larger scale a sectional view taken at the linerh-Bot Fig. 1, disclosing the arrangement of the auxiliary or supplemental bag and the means for controlling the oxygen admission valve.

The breathing apparatus by itself may be of any well known type and as the same ioiins no part Oi the present inveneion, a detailed description thereo t is not needed. In

ONS OF THE ACT 01" MARCH 3, 1921, ll STAT. L, 1313.)

Figure l g) designates an air purifying cartridge or absorber, 7a a valve chest divided intotwo chambers, one of which is provided with an inhalation valve o, and the other with an exhalation valve in. The chamber containing the valve o is connected by means of a pipe 5 with the lower end oi the absorber g9 and through an inhaling tube 0 with a mouthpiece m, -from which an exhaling tube a leads to the chamber containing the valve to, said chamber in turn. being-connected means of a pipe 0 with the uppe end of the absorber f). it. breathing leg 8 is attached to the pipe Z) by means of a, supporting and connecting socket d. f is a container or cylinder "for oxygen and g a pressure reducing valve, from which an on gen pipe 7b 7L leads to the pipe 5 and the socket (Z. Between the pressure reducing valve g and the pipe Z) or socket (5 respectively, or more properly between the pipes or sockets h and [t1 a supplementary breathing bag conveniently made intubular shape, is located the breathing bag 8 with the aidpf a control device automatically regulates a stop valve :0 (Figure in the manner hereinaiter described to permit the flow of a greater or lesser quantity of additional oxygen into the breathing bag 8, or the air passage of the apparatus as the case may be, in proportion to the breathing,requirements or need of air of the wearer of the apparatus, or to shut oti entirely the supply ot oxygen. The control device consists oil a supporting socket 0 having a fixed plate or shell 9" and a movable plate or shell 2,, both otw-hich are conveniently shaped to the length of the supplementary bag and together torm a sort ht fiat bealr, which is kept in anopen or distended position through the operation of a spring it provided for the purpose and located between the plates?" and t. The whole fits into the su plenientary bag 8 whic 1 has one open end attached to the supporting; socket 0 and the other open end secured th the socket 72 leading the pipe 5 or The any case the con supporting socket (7, in nection between the supplementary bag 3 and the main bag 8 is such that open com- 1 pipe, assisted,

casing 0 and has a relatively long arm 3,; lying loosely, that is to say, in an operative position against the movable shell 25, the short arm a of said bell-crank lever acts as a tappet for the spindle is of the stop valve :0. The plates or shells r and t are of such dimensions as to offer to the supplementary bag .9 relatively large bearing or pressure surfaces.

While the breathing apparatus is in use, that is to say, during the inhalation and exhalation periods, the supplementary bag a will be filled with respiratory air, and accordingly will be inflated and remain inflated, so long as there is a suflicient amount or" air in the main breathing bag 8 to fully supply the wearer of the apparatus. The bulged walls of the supplementary bag 8 will under normal breathing conditions undergo slight vibrating movements, eti'ected by the pulsations (inflation and deflation) oi the main breathing bag, which pulsations however are too slight to exercise any influence on the device for actuating the stop valve 50. In case the main breathing bag a is however completely emptied as a result, for instance, of a deep inhalation, the pressure in said main breathing bag is reduced to a point slightly lower than that of the atmosphere, which results in a correspond ingly reduced pressure in the supplementary bag 8 As a result of this the supplementary bag is also contracted or collapsed and presses with its walls against the shells r t, the one of which in turn is thereby moved or forced toward the otheragainst the action of the spring it. Because of this operation of the shells, the lever y e is pivotally actuated, thus effecting the opening, to a proportionate extent, of the stop valve m, where by the requisite quantity of additional oxygen flows into the supplementary bag 8 and from there into the bag 8. As the additional oxygen admitted in the manner described, again increases the pressure and thereby causes the main bag to again expand, the application of pressure on the shells r, t of the supplementary bag, which correspondingly expands, is relaxed and the shells r, 2f accordingly resume their open position by the action of the spring a. The pressure or" the lever y 2 against the stop valve :0, being thus relieved, said valve under the effect of the pressure of the oxygen in the supply ifnequired by the action of a suitable spring surrounding the valve stem 72, is again closed, thereby shutting oii the supply of oxygen to the breathing bags.

With every exhalation into the main breathing bag 8, the supplementary bag .9 is on principle slightly inflated, the two plates or shells r, t and the valve controlling means being however in their positions of rest, the stop valve or closed and thereby the inflow of additional oxygen cut oii.

Instead of supplying the breathing apparatus with additional low pressure oxygen from a pressure reducing valve, the mechanism may be modified so that the pressure reducing valve is dispensed with and the apparatus receives a supply of additional high pressure oxygen. In such a case, the stop valve will be connected with the high pressure pipe leading from the oxygen container f and will serve as a stop valve for this pipe.

If desired or required the supplemental bag 5 may be enclosed or surrounded by a rigid protecting casing having perforated walls or being otherwise in communication with the atmosphere, in order to permit external air to have access to the supplemental bag .9 Such a perforated protecting casing s is indicated in Figure l by dotted lines.

With the improved breathing apparatus are obtained the following advantages. The wearer or" the apparatus, after the opening or the stop-valve of the ox gen cylinder has nothing further to do, but to breathe as de sired or required, the apparatus operating automatically to provide his needs as to breathing requirements. Although the oxy gen cylinder remains opened all the ti: is, oxygen does not escape from it needlessly or wastefully. The flow or oxygen from the oxygen container ceases automatically, as soon as the supply of additional oxygen is not required or the action of the breathing function upon the apparatus ceases entirely. As only oxygen is taken from the oxygen cylinder, when the lungs require an additional supply of oxygen, the consumption of oxygen is maintained at a minimum. Because of this fact the apparatus is pable of being eficiently utilized to meet the requirements for a maximum period of time with a given stock of oxygen. The auxiliary or supplemental breathing bag is outside oi the air circulation of the apparatus and it, as well as the parts of the valve controlling mechanism contained therein, is etiiciently protected against becoming fouled by exhalation products.

I claim:

1. In a breathing apparatus, an oxygen container, a supplemental breathing bag connected thereto and having flexible walls adapted to collapse when the internal pres sure falls below a predetermined value, an inlet at one end of said bag, an outlet at the other end of said bag, a main breathing bag connected to and in continuous communication with said outlet, a normally closed valve controlling said inlet, and means within said breathing bag operable by the collapse of said walls to open said valve.

2. In a breathing apparatus, an oxygen container, an elongated supplemental breathing bag connected thereto and having flexible walls adapted to collapse when the in ternal pressure falls below a predetermined value, a main breathing bag connected to and in continuous communication with said supplemental breathing bag, a normally closed valve controlling the inlet tosaid supplemental breathing bag, and a lever extending longitudinally of said supplemental breathing bag and in operative connection with said valve to control the opening thereof, said lever being adapted to be actuated by the collapse of said walls.

3. In a breathing apparatus, an oxygen container, an elongated supplemental breathing bag connected thereto and having flexible walls adapted to collapse when the internal pressure falls below a predetermined value, an inlet at one end of said bag, an outlet at the other end of said bag, a main breathin bag connected to'said outlet, a normally closed valve controlling said inlet, a lever extending longitudinally of said supplemental breathing bag and in operative relation with said valve to control the opening thereof, said lever being adapted to be actuated by the collapse of said walls.

1. In a self-contained breathing apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a main breathing bag, an oxygen con tainer, a supplemental breathing bag constantly in communication with the interior of said main breathing bag, a connection from said supplemental bag to said oxygen container, a stop valve controlling the connection from said container to said supplemental hag, said valve being normally closed to cut of? the supply of oxygen to said supplemental bag, a fixed plate within said supplemental bag, a pivoted plate within said supplemental bag in registry with said fixed plate and adapted to be operated by said supplemental hag, said plates extending lengthwise of said bag and being conveniently shaped to form a flat beak-like structure, and a lever pivoted Within said supplemental bag in operative relation to said pivoted plate and connected with said valve whereby the latter is actuated coincidentally with the operation of said pivoted plate to admit additional oxygen to said supple mental bag for replenishing the supply in said main bag.

5. In a breathing apparatus amain breathing bag, an oxygen container, an elongated collapsible supplemental breathing bag communicating with said main breathing bag, a connection between said container and the inlet of said supplemental breathing bag, a normally closed valve controlling said connection, a fixed plate extending longitudinally of said supplemental breathing bag, a pivoted plate within said supplemental breathing bag opposite said fixed plate and adapted to be operated by the collapse of said supplemental breathing bag,

and a lever in operative relation to said pivoted plate and connected to said valve to control the opening thereof, whereby ad 

